#99

From Script to Screen: BAFTA-winning Neasa Hardiman’s Visionary Path

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My guest this week on the podcast is Neasa Hardiman. Neasa is a BAFTA-winning executive producer, director, entrepreneur and writer who has worked across the world on high-budget global film and TV projects. After making documentaries in Ireland, Neasa found success in the UK through children’s TV with Tracy Beaker Returns, for which she won her first BAFTA. Following that, she directed long-running soaps like Casualty and Holby City.

She won her second BAFTA in 2017 for directing the second season of the BBC smash hit, Happy Valley. She went on to work on the Marvel series Inhumans and Jessica Jones. Her feature film debut, Sea Fever, premiered in the prestigious Discovery Strand on the opening night of TIFF in 2019. And her latest show, We Were the Lucky Ones, is available on Hulu and Disney later this year.

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Summary

03:03 The background to Neasa Hardiman’s career

• Pursued a diverse and open work practice, embracing visual arts, literature, and science.
• Chose design for its constant learning opportunities, achieving a double first in design from NCID and a scholarship to Berlin.
• Returned to Ireland, joined RTÉ, and became an executive producer, working on various projects including drama.
• After RTÉ, Neasa became an entrepreneur, starting two successful companies: one in communications and design, and the other in filmmaking.
• She worked as a writer, director, and producer, winning two BAFTAs and focusing on high-budget projects over $100 million.
• She recently started contributing as a non-executive board director for various boards, leveraging international experience from two companies.

05:41 Maintaining the huger for both the arts and academia

• It is important to stay curious.
• Neasa comes from a family of musicians, mathematicians, engineers, and medics; her children have also pursued similar fields.
• Nease felt fortunate at 17 to choose any academic path due to being very studious.
• Found the challenge of learning creativity different and mysterious, seeking to develop a creative skill set.
• Believes developing a creative learning mindset early led to interesting and unexpected life directions.
• Learn independently and creatively, especially as the world has transformed since her undergraduate years in the early nineties.

09:27 The interplay between curiosity, logic and creativity

• Juan Luis Borges once said: “Art is fire plus algebra” – it is about the blend of creativity and logic in art.
• Considers C.P. Snow’s concept of “Two Cultures” (art and science) as illusory and outdated.
• Neasa defines intelligence as curiosity, a flexible mind, and a desire to be creative.
• Mathematics and physics involve significant creativity, i.e. solving problems in these fields to create great stories.
• Lateral thinking and unique connections are involved in both scientific and artistic endeavours.
• There is joy in finding successful, albeit temporary, solutions.

11:25 What was it like leaving RTÉ?

• Neasa worked with RTÉ for 10 years starting in the mid-90s and recently rejoined as a board member after a 24-year gap.
• She joined RTÉ as a new graduate – the organisation was flexible, and open, and emphasised learning and mobility.
• Initially worked as a designer, involved in creating logos, title sequences, and experimenting with digital animation and new technologies. Advanced to roles of producer, director, and executive producer, enjoying creative freedom and rapid learning from real-time audience feedback.
• Benefited from the era’s internal programming opportunities, moving across genres and developing a wide skill set.
• The period was an incredibly rewarding educational journey.
• Her father, Tom Hardiman, was RTÉ’s director general from the late sixties to mid-seventies, fostering a culture of young innovators in their twenties and thirties.
• Likened the pioneering spirit of RTÉ’s early days to modern entrepreneurship and startups, with a focus on building, learning, and cultural contribution.
• Felt familiar with starting her own businesses due to the freedom and tradition of innovation she experienced at RTÉ and from her father’s legacy.

15:57 What was it like growing up in a household maybe that was centred around media?

• Youngest of five children, with a strong emphasis on education in the family.
• Parents came from underprivileged backgrounds and formed a partnership based on learning, growth, and contributing to society.
• Father won scholarships for secondary school and university to study engineering, feeling a strong responsibility to contribute to Ireland’s development.
• Parents instilled a sense of responsibility and the importance of contributing to the new Ireland.
• Children were encouraged to follow their own interests and paths, leading to diverse careers
• Entrepreneurship was valued, with all siblings essentially working for themselves and creating their own careers.

18:46 Neasa’s aspirations for RTÉ’s future

• The RTÉ leaders are committed and capable, working hard to adapt the organisation.
• It’s a challenge for public service media organisations to stay relevant in the new technological communications world.
• It is important to keep journalism and current affairs independent from government influence.
• Predicts RTÉ will expand online and become transnational, serving Irish people globally with news, current affairs, and documentaries.
• It plays a crucial role in Irish cultural life, presenting authentic Irish stories to a global audience.
• There is a need to support forward-looking, truthful, and diverse cultural representation.
• Advocates for societal support of public service media to maintain and promote cultural identity.

21:45 Moving to documentary making and choosing which project to work on

• Transitioned from documentary to drama due to a passion for working with actors and creating stories with aesthetic sensibility.
• Previously worked in theatre, writing and directing, and made successful documentaries addressing raw cultural issues.
• Sought to bring more creative control and personal vision into her work, inspired by Hitchcock’s distinction between documentary (God is the director) and drama (the director is God).
• Drama’s power is to amplify emotional impact and contribute to culture
• As an Irish woman in the early 2000s, faced challenges in the male-dominated film industry, becoming the second woman financed by the Irish Film Board for a short film.
• Expanded her career by seeking opportunities outside Ireland, finding an agent in the UK, and winning a commission to direct a BBC children’s drama series, which won a BAFTA.
• Directed episodes of “Holby City” and “Casualty,” learning to work quickly and effectively with skilled actors.
• Collaborated with Sally Wainwright and Nikki Schindler on “Scott and Bailey,” leading to work on “Happy Valley.”
• Transitioned to US drama, directing a series about Zelda Fitzgerald for Amazon, gaining experience with larger scale and ambition in Hollywood.
• Enjoys Hollywood’s global perspective and support for grand visions, creating stories with local roots but global thematic resonance.

29:03 Does winning a BAFTA impact your way of working?

• Establish a strong local reputation before you move internationally – Neasa cites her own experience where winning a BAFTA opened up opportunities in the US market.
• Advises entrepreneurs and creatives to gain support from their home audience, which can resonate internationally and provide a reputational advantage.
• Taking responsibility seriously while not taking oneself too seriously.
• Stresses the significance of maintaining the same level of commitment and emotional truthfulness, regardless of the project’s scale.
• Highlights the necessity of staying grounded, curious, and open to learning, avoiding the pitfalls of overconfidence as illustrated by the Dunning-Kruger effect.
• Encourages a leadership style that empowers and supports team members, fostering an environment where creativity and ideas can flourish even in high-stress situations.
• Discusses the balance of providing good leadership by promoting a calm and open atmosphere, where team members feel safe to contribute and make mistakes, as this leads to the best ideas.
• Mentions that good leadership involves drawing out the best in others and supporting their learning and creativity.

38:46 Directing a feature versus a drama series

• Directors imprint their style and vision onto their projects, making them uniquely theirs.
• Neasa Hardiman accepts commissions aligned with her values and creative vision rather than trying to mimic others.
• Transitioning from TV to her first feature film, “Calm with Horses,” during the COVID pandemic brought a mix of excitement and challenges.
• Despite the acclaim, the real reward lies in the creative process and the opportunity to bring a unique vision to life.
• Each project presents a new learning curve and set of challenges, making each endeavour both stimulating and rewarding.

43:31 What was it like creating ‘We Were the Lucky Ones’?

• Neasa Hardiman was introduced to a project by Hollywood producer Jennifer Todd, sparking her interest in storytelling.
• The project, involving a holocaust story, resonated with Neasa’s sense of responsibility to bear witness to historical events.
• She found the narrative compelling due to its portrayal of a family’s resilience and scattering across Europe during World War II.
• The story focuses on the transformation of the youngest daughter, offering insights into gender roles and the complexities of human experience during wartime.
• Hardiman draws parallels between the characters’ experiences and her own encounters in Berlin post-wall, reflecting on the transient nature of security in turbulent historical times.

50:56 From a director’s perspective, what do you look for in actors you’re going to work with?

• Relax and let go of nervousness during auditions.
• Directors are interested in an actor’s ability to think on their feet and demonstrate mental, intellectual, and emotional flexibility.
• During auditions, Neasa encourages actors to offer something unique, demonstrating their creativity and openness to collaboration.
• Hardiman seeks actors who are willing to join her in an adventure of exploration, where both parties can learn and grow together.

52:59 Learning from leadership in filmmaking

• Neasa Hardiman compares a film set’s hierarchy to that of the army, with the director at the top.
• Directors must be cautious with their power, as their words and demeanour set the tone for the entire production.
• Create a respectful and open atmosphere on set to foster creativity and collaboration.
• Remain emotionally detached while still being responsive to actors and the production process.
• Reflectiveness and awareness of one’s impact on others are key qualities for effective leadership on a film set.

58:23 The gender dynamic in the TV and film industry today

• There is progress in gender equality in the film industry but there is still a long way to go.
• Unconscious bias can influence qualitative assessments made by financiers and industry professionals, affecting opportunities for women.
• The #MeToo movement brought attention to gender disparities, but the spotlight has shifted, leaving uncertainty about further progress.
• Hardiman discusses the significance of having women in leadership positions, such as the chair of the Cannes jury, but emphasises the need to move beyond the need for such discussions.
• Despite efforts to promote gender diversity, there are still challenges, including the underrepresentation of women in directing roles for high-budget projects. 

Links mentioned: 

Neasa Hardimen’s Website

A Life Less Ordinary with Mark Little

We Were the Lucky Ones

Sea Fever

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